Israel continues aggression on Lebanon

Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon killed yesterday alone 36 people, including a whole family, taking the death toll since the start of its onslaught to 180 people.

Israel said that today, the Israeli air force attacked four trucks containing weaponry on their way from Syria to Lebanon in the area of Baqaa, several structures and a tunnel in them Hizbullah terrorists, two Katyush launchers, bridges and access routes in the area of city of Tyre in what it termed as "to prevent movement of terrorists."

It added "The Air Force is operating around the clock. All aircrews and operations units are working around the clock. We are striking decisively and intensely at a wide variety of targets to undermine and destroy 'terror' infrastructure in Lebanon."

Israel's Deputy Chief of General Staff, Major General Moshe Kaplinski, commented on the last developments. "Our role is to weaken the Hizbullah enough so that we can distance the organization from the Israeli border, and to allow the government of Lebanon to contain its own sovereignty."

However, it has become clear that the world is not tolerating the Israeli aggressions, with very strong reactions world wide condemning Israel. Israel began to retreat from its three conditions it set to leave Lebanon, one of them being that it wants Hizbullah disarmed.

Israel's prime minister said that his condition is not longer required according a Los Angeles Times report which also reported that Israel is now considering a hostage trade with Hizbullah, as Israel has in the past done.

Israel's Foreign minister Livni said "While we continue to act to defend our citizens, we intend to cooperate with the international community, with a view to ensuring a successful and effective resolution of the crisis."

Olmert claimed, amid strongest of condemnation of Israel, that "Nobody in the international community is asking us to halt the operation" but added "it is possible that we will have to hold diplomatic negotiations, not with Hizbullah. In any case the start of negotiations will not halt the action, only the return of the abducted soldiers."

An Israeli report said Hizbullah fired dozens of Katyusha rockets at northern Israel with some 40 Katyushas at the Upper Galilee. Avi Dichter, Israel's Public Security Minister, reiterated Olmert's position telling the Israeli army radio that negotiating with Hizbullah to swap prisoners is feasible and maybe necessary to end the crisis.

Israel repeatedly violates Lebanon's sovereignty, air and sea, on a near daily basis, for which it has been asked repeatedly by the UN to stop doing so. Israel, shows no regard for international law, attacking Palestinian and Lebanese civilians and infrastructure. It does so knowing it has the best weapons given to it from the United States, and under the protection of the US veto at the UN Security Council where the US shoots down resolutions against Israel. Many international organizations have declared Israel to be in violation of International Humanitarian Law, Geneva Convention, organizations such as the Red Cross, Amnesty international, and others. The most recent public declaration that Israel has broken the Geneva Convention came days ago from the neutral country of Switzerland. The UN Human Rights Council two weeks ago also voted against Israel and agreed to investigate the Israel acts. Israel frames its aggressions as a defensive moves, without mentioning that it is an occupier and outlaw of international resolutions and laws.

Israel, a brutal occupier and an aggressive nation that has no respect for other countries due to military superiority, likes to portray itself to the world as a victim. Some seems to have been convinced of this portrayal.

Despite its superior military might, Hizbullah dealt Israel a major defeat and was able to eject Israel from Lebanon after Israel invaded and occupied Lebanon several years ago.